Alphabet Inc. Class C (GOOGL.US) Android system updates catching up with iOS, adding luggage tracking and new calling features.

Alphabet Inc. Class C (GOOGL.US) will allow users of its Android mobile operating system to set up custom call cards and share real-time location information, catching up with the functionality that Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) has already provided to iPhone users. In a blog post on Tuesday, Alphabet Inc. Class C stated that users using Google Messages can share their location in real-time within the map view when sending text messages. Additionally, users can customize their call cards with their own photos, fonts, and colors, which will be displayed on the screen when the recipient receives a call. As part of this release, Alphabet Inc. Class C also introduced a new feature that allows users to share detailed information about their luggage tracking tags with partner airlines to help locate their luggage. Alphabet Inc. Class C stated that more than 10 airlines, including Air India, Lufthansa Group, and Turkish Airlines, will accept this tracking information and incorporate it into the luggage retrieval process. While Apple Inc.'s iOS system has had these features for over a year, the latest feature updates from Alphabet Inc. Class C will reach the vast user base of the Android platform, which powers over 3 billion devices worldwide. Although Apple Inc. dominates the high-end smartphone market, Android remains the most popular mobile platform globally. Additionally, with a global shortage of storage chips leading to price increases in smartphones, consumers may hold onto their phones for longer, making these software enhancements timely. At the same time, Alphabet Inc. Class C is introducing AI-related enhancements for its Pixel series devices, paving the way for its Gemini assistant to access personal data and perform more tasks on behalf of users. According to Bloomberg's report last month, Apple Inc. has been working on improving its Siri virtual assistant this year, but has encountered new obstacles in the process. The latest Pixel devices and the latest Samsung Galaxy S26 series smartphones can use these AI features, including delegating tasks to Gemini, such as booking a ride through Uber Technologies, Inc., ordering food on DoorDash, or buying groceries through Instacart. Other tools include the ability to recognize individual clothing items from images and see how they would look when worn based on full-body photos uploaded by users.